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MONUMENT NO. 72713

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The alleged site of a castle which documentary sources say was in ruins by 1485. During pipe laying two Medieval (circa 13th century) ditches were uncovered in 1978 and possibly the remains of a drawbridge. Roman pottery was also found. These defensive earthworks would appear to confirm this as the site of Nantwich castle.

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There are now no remains of the Castle at Nantwich, which stood near the Welsh Bridge, and which was in ruins before 1485. (a) The site of the castle is preserved in the name Castle Street [SJ 6505 5230] The earliest mention of it is in an Inquisition of 1288 and there are occasional mentions in the Cheshire records of the 14th and 15th c. (b). Hall states that Platt's description of the castle (c) is fictitious. (1)

[SJ 6506 5229] Supposed site of [T.I.] Castle [G.T.] (2)

The supposed site of the Castle is occupied by a disused chapel. No trace of the castle was found. (3)

(SJ 650524) A Medieval ditch, thought possibly to be the outer ditch of the castle, was uncovered during excavations at the Crown Car Park, Nantwich in the summer of 1978. Roman pottery was also discovered during the excavation. (4)

Examination of works along the line of the ring road in Mill and Castle Streets and behind Roosters discotheque uncovered evidence for at least 2 separate defensive ditches, one round-bottomed and one V-shaped. The outer ditch began silting up in the 13th century, and was abandoned and in-filled in the late 14th/early 15th cemtury. The inner ditch, however, continued in use to the 15th century. These defences enclosed an inner area, possibly housing a small wooden building, reached by a drawbridge: massive sill plates supporting timber piers were fleetingly photographed in a contractors sewer trench in 1979. (5)

Listed as a vanished castle by Cathcart King. (6)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1a) General reference

"Magna Britannia" 2 pt 2 1810 707 (D & S Lysons)

( 1b) General reference

"History of Nantwich" 1883 6 16 22 (J Hall)

( 1c) General reference

"History of Nantwich" 1818 73 (Platt)

( 1) Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments

( 2) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 1:500 1878

( 3) Field Investigators Comments

F1 DS 27-JUL-60

( 4) General reference

Archaeology in Nantwich Crown Car Park Excavation interim report 1980

(5) Cheshire archaeological bulletin

(R McNeil-Sale) 7 - 1980/1 Page(s)30

(6) by David J Cathcart King 1983 Castellarium anglicanum : an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the islands. Volume I : Anglesey - Montgomery

Page(s)69

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